Semion: most of the time he is alone

Semion used to be a key figure in his village in central Moldova. As team leader in his kolkhoz or collective farm, and as the tractor driver, he was respected as a hardworking and reliable man.

But that was a long time ago. Now his days are quiet. His wife passed away several years ago. They had one son, but Semion no longer knows where he is, nor how to reach him. Sometimes a kind neighbour brings him a bowl of food but most of the time he is alone. His body is weak and the pain in his joints often keeps him awake at night.

Older – he’s 76 – and living in poverty, Semion is typical of the hundreds of people helped every month by a team from Betania Baptist Church with support from Blythswood, bringing food, clothing and footwear. And some things are more important than food.

“His mind is still clear, and he remembers the past with tears,” says team leader Valentina Feodorova. “When we spoke about eternity and the hope which we have in Christ, he began to cry. ‘I’m tired,’ he told us. ‘I ask God to take me home.’

“He said it was the first time in many years that someone had spoken to him about God’s love. We prayed together, asking that God would give him peace and comfort in his final years.”